1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for arranging electronic and/or electric chip-type circuit elements in series, and more particularly to a system for arranging chip-type circuit elements in series in a tape which is adapted to automatically carry out measurement of electrical characteristics of each of the chip-type circuit elements, application of a mark on each of the circuit elements and arrangement of the circuit elements in series in a tape in order.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, mounting of an electronic and/or electric chip-type circuit element (hereinafter referred to as "chip") such as a chip capacitor, a chip resistor or the like on a printed circuit board is automatically practiced by means of a chip mounting machine and supplying of chips to such a chip mounting apparatus is carried out using an embossed tape which has a series of chips received in embosses or recesses thereof and covered with a cover tape or a bored paper tape which has a series of chips inserted in bores thereof and covered on both upper and lower sides of the bored tape with cover tapes.
Conventionally, in formation of a series of chips which are to be fed to a chip mounting apparatus, measurement of electrical characteristics of each of the chips such as electrostatic capacity, resistance, inductance or the like, putting of a mark on each of the chips after the measuring, and arrangement of chips in series in a tape after the application are accomplished by means of the respective exclusive apparatus.
When carrying out each of the above-described steps with an exclusive apparatus, it is required to manually carry out storaging of chips in and supplying of chips to an exclusive apparatus every time each of the steps is completed. Also, the conventional system fails to satisfactorily deal with a defective chip.
For example, a chip feed apparatus or section which has been conventionally used for arranging chips in series includes a laterally moved separation member which has an alignment groove formed thereon so as to arrange chips in a row therein and a separation groove formed thereon so as to be connected to a tip end of the alignment groove, as typically disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laying-Open Publication No. 81094/1984. The separation member is adapted to separate chips fed through the alignment groove one by one. However, the conventional chip feed apparatus has a disadvantage that when any defective chip which is defective in, for example, configuration, is included in the chips, it fails to remove or eliminate the defective chip, resulting in an interruption.
Further, in arrangement of chips in series, it is required to pay careful attention to prevent any defect such as breakage, damage or the like from occurring to a chip. However, the conventional system fails to effectively prevent occurrence of such defects.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to develop a system for arranging chips in series which is capable of automatically carrying out steps required for the arrangement of chips in series substantially without interruption, automatically removing a defective chip from an arrangement line and preventing any defect from occurring in a chip.